United Fronts
by Mesalline
Summary: An adventure can be found anywhere even on earth. You just have to know where to look. So what happens when Sarah Jane Smith runs into Torchwood?
1. Prologue

**Authors Note: So, i thought i'd have a go at these "prologue" things. I've had this idea in my head for a while, but only just been able to write it down. Please R&R, and let me know if you think it's worth continuing. Thanks. **

**Prologue**

**(Twenty years later.)**

_Dear Diary 13__th__/08/2033_

_Well, I think this is going to be my last entry, Liam. My time has come at last. _

_I've had a long life, a long but…fantastic life. A man, the Doctor, showed me a better way to live my life. _

_I couldn't go back to how I was-_

"Sarah Jane…"

Sarah sighed and put down her ball point pen, stretching her frail fingers.

"Not now, Mr Smith."

The computer hummed happily.

_But I found that an adventure was always just around the corner. Don't forget all those exciting adventures we shared with Maria. After the Doctor, I thought the good times would never come round for me again. But the day the Bane Mother grew you, that all changed. _

_I leave everything to you, Liam. My house, my equipment, Mr Smith (take good care of him!) and perhaps most importantly, my diary's. _

_You will perhaps be wondering why I consider my diary's more important than my house or computer, but you're a smart boy Liam, you'll figure it out. _

_All I ask is that you destroy my diaries of my travels with the doctor before you die, or hand them over to the Captain. _

_Speaking of whom, my last few words will be about him, Torchwood, and so many other things mixed in between. _

_The Captain is completely trust-worthy, Liam. He gave me his word he'd look after you. He can't die, so you'll always have someone to support you. Martha will look after you too, so I have no fear about leaving you alone. _

_Torchwood. Oh, to be a member of that particular organisation. I think the Doctors prejudice has rubbed off on me somewhat. Torchwood three is trust worthy- but only if the Captains in charge. But still, be very careful around Torchwood Liam. _

_However, all prejudice's aside, Torchwood saved my life, on more than one occasion. Well Jack did, truth be told, but I think Jack and Torchwood come under the same category. _

_I want to end this diary on a good and optimistic note, but also a note of warning, and caution. _

_Through trusting Torchwood the world has been saved more times than I care to count on my fingers. Through united fronts we defend the earth, and that's something to be proud of, no? _

_I'll share with you a lesson I've learned from the Doctor and Captain Jack. I want you to take this away with you, Liam, if nothing else. _

_An adventure is always just around the corner; around each turn; each bend; each new beginning. Even on earth, an adventure is always there. _

_You just have to know where to look. _

Sarah smiled contently and set down her pen. The blue leather bound diary closed with a soft thud, a small breeze unsettling her grey flimsy hair as the pages closed.

She stretched and picking up the diary made her way over to the book case, slotting the diary neatly at the end of the row.

Thirty diaries she had kept. Not many people could say they had kept thirty diaries. Not many people could say they thought their life was worth recording. But hers was, her memories were precious, and she wanted them to live forever.

She moved across the room, over to a large cluttered desk.

"Order from Chaos." She thought.

"Mr Smith?"

The desk unfolded slowly to reveal a huge, high tech top of the range computer. That she'd made herself. From scratch. Her unique, organic computer. She smiled slyly as she thought about what Tosh would say if she saw Mr Smith.

"Status, Mr Smith?" she asked.

The computer hummed.

"Status…Satisfactory."

Sarah smiled.

"Very good. Good night, Mr Smith."

"Good Night, Sarah Jane."

Sarah was about to turn away from the computer, before she turned back.

"Oh, Computer?"

"Yes, Sarah Jane."

"Thank you." She added sadly.

"My pleasure," the computer replied, before switching itself to sleep.

Sarah looked longingly at the black safe in the wall. She wanted so badly to see K-9. It wasn't fair. Her little tin dog.

She sighed and placed a hand on the cold door. He wasn't due back for another ten years. She'd missed her chance to say good bye.

"Good dog," she said softly. "Good dog."

Sarah crawled into her warm bed, before reaching over to her bedside table. She unscrewed the gold lid of her sonic lipstick. Pointing it at the light, she flicked the switch, casting an eerie red light around the room, before it was pitched into darkness, and slowly sinking into the darkness of the night.


	2. Strangers

**Authors Note: Thank you to anyone who's reviewed this fic so far. Here's the second Chapter (well, first, technically speaking.)**

"_Maria!"_

"_Coming!"_

Maria leapt down the stairs two at a time, tying her thick dark brown hair in a neat pony tale at the back of her head. She grabbed her bag and coat off the banister before racing to the front door.

"_Dad I'm going out!"_ she yelled, and without waiting for an answer, slammed the door behind her.

Her father looked up from the paper, a half formed reply lingering on his lips.

"Kids," he muttered instead, before shrugging the paper back open.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

Sarah Jane Smith leaned against her pale blue car, folding her arms impatiently across her chest. She sighed and rolled her eyes as Maria fell out of her front door, grabbing hold of the handle and slamming the door shut.

"Sorry!" she gasped as she skidded to a halt in front of her.

"You're late," said a voice behind them.

Sarah smirked as Maria raised her eye brows.

"Yes," she said. "Sorry."

"Is that bad?"

A tall but thin boy stepped out behind Sarah, his dark questioning eyes glistening with a shadow of humour.

"Yes, unfortunately." Maria replied, laughing.

"Oh," he replied.

"Come on!" Sarah placed a hand on both children's shoulders and steered them towards the house.

"I have cookies."

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

Captain Jack Harkness rubbed his eyes and blinked against the glare of the computer screen. He reached to pick up his Coffee mug, only to find it empty. He sighed wearily and turned back to the computer, continuing with his tedious task. He trawled through pages and pages of police records and newspaper reports, searching for one name, one link. That was all he wanted. One link to his past. He was about to give up for the night, before a name sprung out at him, as if surrounded by neon lights.

_Bubble Shock- The drink that's shocked the Nation,_

The article read.

_By Sarah Jane Smith. _

Jack grinned and wrote down her home address. The woman certainly sounded like she could have travelled with the Doctor, he thought as he checked her records. There was a long two year gap in her life, she left her job, sold her house, disappeared almost, of the face of the earth, only to return and pick everything back up again. Even her bank statements, Mortgages, Insurance, everything had ceased for two years. And she wrote like a companion too.

Jack switched the monitor off and stretched. After hours of searching, _years,_ in fact, he thought he'd finally hit the jack pot.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

"And so, there we were, stuck in the 1940's! The Tardis was broken- but the Doctor wouldn't admit it of course! His excuse was "She's tired! Give her a break!"

The two children sat around her eating biscuits burst out laughing.

"Really?" asked Maria, chocking on her food, eyes streaming with tears of laughter.

Sarah nodded and smiled fondly at the two laughing children.

"Yup," she said grinning.

"And then we were off again, on another adventure! I saw wonderful things, wonderful things. Things you'd never imagine even in your wildest dreams…"

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

Jack pulled the SUV up just out of sight of the house. He pocketed his Webley Pistol- just in case. Why, he wasn't really sure. If Sarah Jane Smith was the Doctor's companion, he was sure she'd be harmless. _But_, a nagging voice at the back of his mind asked, _what if she's not what you expect, what if she shuts you out? You're on your own again, mate. And it'll be all your fault-_

Jack shut the voice out and clambered out of the SUV, his feet disturbing a puddle of what _looked_ like water.

_But it could be anything around here;_ Jack thought grimly and shook the water off his trousers.

Jack hastily made his way over to the large house on the corner, cautiously checking to make sure no one was looking before sneaking into the drive way, hand clutched around the gun in his pocket.

He realised that the door was left slightly ajar, the sound of laughing voices drifted through from somewhere deep within the house. It was almost like the house was inviting him in.

_Just got lucky, _he thought.

Truth be told, he'd never actually thought about how he'd get in the house. He didn't even think he'd get this far. Twice on the journey here he'd thought about leaving it and turning back.

He took a deep breath and stepped wearily inside, closing the door with a soft thud.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

"What was that?"

Sarah stood up and edged over to her bedroom door, listening.

"Stay here," she whispered, grabbing the sonic and heading for the door.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

Jack crept quietly down the hall, glancing in each room, checking and double checking for a big blue box, the tell tale golden light pooling out from under the door, engines- anything. By the time he reached the kitchen his heart was pounding. All he could hear was the blood rushing through his ears. He had been wrong. But he was so sure, she fitted in with the descriptions of an ex companion so well, too well.

Jack started as he heard a soft creak on the stairs. He drew out his Webley and held it at arms length, back flat against the wall. His breath came in short shallow gasps. Why was he so nervous?

"Hello."

Jack jumped and swung around. A woman was standing in the kitchen, arms folded, hands clasped around a thin golden rod. Jack lowered his weapon slightly.

She pursed her lips together in a thin line and leaned against the kitchen worktops.

"I'm quite a generous person," she said, eyes blazing.

"People often come to me when they need help, or even if they just need a friend," she added as two children poked their heads nervously round the door. She waved them back warningly.

"But when people barge into my house, and steal my things-"

"Whoa!" Jack held up his hands, gun swinging loosely on his finger.

"I'm not a thief!"

The woman's eyes narrowed suspiciously.

"Then..?"

"Torchwood."

Jack knew he'd said the wrong thing when a sharp pain exploded in his head and his vision greyed. His limp body crumpled to the floor and landed with a sharp _thud_.

Sarah smiled Maria and Liam as she kicked the gun out of Jack's slack grip.

Her eyes twinkled as the two children stared at her, dumb struck.

Sarah shrugged and laughed.

"The Doctor was a black belt in Karate."


End file.
